Questions about soft MACs and uClinux Networking

Altera_Forum · ‎01-07-2011

I'm still working on bringing up networking on my soft processor. I have some questions.

There are at least three different soft MAC architectures I have found. The Altera TSE built into the SOPC builder, the opencores Igor available at http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21005&referrerid=2226 (http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21005&referrerid=2226) and the SLS MAC available at http://www.slscorp.com/catalog/product_info.php?cpath=22_31&products_id=53 (http://www.slscorp.com/catalog/product_info.php?cpath=22_31&products_id=53).

I'm trying to figure out which drivers go with which cores. When I do a "make menuconfig" I get two different Triple Speed Ethernet options. I get "Altera Triple Speed Ethernet MAC Support (SLS)" and I get "Altera Tripple Speed Ethernet support (EXPERIMENTAL).

Which driver supports what? Is the TSE built into the SOPC supported in uClinux? Does the (SLS) mean that it is tied to the SLS MAC or does that just mean SLS developed the driver to support the TSE?

Thanks,

David

Altera_Forum · ‎01-07-2011

Both of those drivers are for the Altera TSE. The (SLS) one is maintained. I guess it was originally developed by SLS.

I don't know about the SLS MAC.

Altera_Forum · ‎01-10-2011

In the SOPC builder I have four variations for the TSE Mac:

10/100/100Mb Ethernet MAC
10/100/100Mb Ethernet MAC with 1000Base-X/SGMII PCS
1000MB Small MAC
10/100Mb Small MAC

Which of these is supported in uClinux?

Thanks,

David

Altera_Forum · ‎01-10-2011

10/100/100Mb Ethernet MAC is supported. I think I've had the 10/100Mb Small MAC work as well but I'm not sure. The 1000MB Small MAC would likely work too. I don't know about 1000Base-X/SGMII.

Altera_Forum · ‎02-01-2011

I've done with

10/100/1000Mb Ethernet MAC

10/100/1000Mb Ethernet MAC with 1000Base-X/SGMII PCS

Both worked fine in the emb-Linux with me.

Altera_Forum · ‎05-05-2011

davidsmoot,

Check the Virginia Tech CCM Lab wiki page. It provides detailed information on how to install uClinux on NIOS2 in general, and Terasic DE2-70, DE4 and DE0-Nano board in particular, including Ethernet on DE2-70 and GigE on DE4.

Tony